Combat
This page covers basic combat rules. For more specific rules, see the sections on injury and death, conditions, special combat rules, and actions. The Order of Combat Each combat is carried out in seven steps, as follows. Step 1: Flat-Footedness Unless a character intentionally enters a combat after it begins, he begins the fight . Step 2: Base Encounter Distance The base distance between two or more groups is determined by their location and the current visibility, as shown on Table 5.1: Base Encounter Distance. Step 3: Initiative Checks Each time a character enters any combat for the first time (whether he entered the combat intentionally or not), he makes an Initiative check by rolling 1d20 and adding his Initiative bonus: :: Initiative bonus = class Initiative bonuses + Dexterity modifier The result is the character’s Initiative Count. A character cannot score a threat or error with an Initiative check. The GC may either make one Initiative check for all opponents, or separate the opponents into two or more groups and make an Initiative check for each. Special Note: Action dice may only be spent to boost an Initiative check; a character’s Initiative Count may not be boosted with action dice once combat begins. Step 4: Surprise Round Each combat begins either with no involved groups aware of each other, or some groups aware of each other, or all groups aware of each other, with the following effects. ''No Groups Aware of Each Other'' In this type of encounter, two or more opponent groups happen upon one another unexpectedly, offering the group that reacts first a chance to get the drop on everyone else. Each group makes an opposed team Blend/Stealth or Sneak/Hide check, as appropriate, applying all modifiers listed in the relevant skill check description. Each member of the group with the highest result may take 1 free action, 1 half action, or 1 full action during a surprise round. ''Some Groups Aware of Each Other'' In this type of encounter, one or more groups have prepared an ambush for their opponents, or happened into a situation that might be manipulated to their advantage. Any group trying to conceal its presence or a sudden action is referred to as an acting group. Each group makes an opposed team Blend/Stealth or Sneak/Hide check, as appropriate, applying all modifiers listed in the relevant skill check description. If the acting group wins this opposed skill check, each of its members may take 1 free action, 1 half action, or 1 full action during a surprise round; otherwise, no surprise round occurs. ''All Groups Aware of Each Other'' In this type of encounter, all groups begin in full view or with full knowledge of their opponents’ locations or intentions, and may react accordingly. No surprise round is possible. ''Partial Group Awareness'' In some cases, the GC may determine that only some characters may participate in their groups’ surprise round skill check. Any characters who do not make the check may not benefit from surprise round actions. ''Running a Surprise Round'' Surprise round actions occur in Initiative order (beginning from the eligible character with the highest Initiative Count and ending with the eligible character with the lowest Initiative Count). A full action gained during a surprise round may not be split into 2 half actions, nor any character take more than 1 free action during a surprise round. Step 5: Combat Round During each 6-second combat round, each character may take either 1 full action or 2 half actions. These actions occur in Initiative order, beginning with the character who has the highest Initiative Count and ending with the character who has the lowest Initiative Count. When two or more characters’ Initiative Counts are equal, the character with the highest Initiative bonus acts first. If both characters’ Initiative bonuses are the same as well, the characters each roll 1d20 and the character with the highest result acts first (re-rolling ties). Additionally, each character who doesn’t take any other move action during the round may take 1 bonus 5-ft. step during his Initiative Count. Finally, each character may take any number of free actions during his Initiative Count, until the GC determines that he’s reached his free action limit. A free action is any activity that doesn’t affect the character’s ability to take 2 half actions or 1 full action during the same round. A typical free action can easily be performed simultaneously with another action (e.g. talking), or may be accomplished nearly by reflex (e.g. waving a hand at a motion sensor to open an automatic door). Each character’s free action limit is arbitrary and entirely subject to the GC’s view of the current round. Most characters may also take a variety of other actions using skills, class and feat abilities, and other character options and rules. Unless otherwise specified, a character may divide 1 full action skill check into 2 half actions, taking one as his last action during a round and the other as his first action during the following round. All skill check and associated rolls are made when the check is resolved. This option is not available with attack checks, which must be completed during the round they begin. Likewise, unless otherwise specified, a character may combine 2 half actions gained from different sources to take 1 full action. All restrictions placed on either or both half actions apply to the resulting full action (e.g. if Surge of Speed is combined with another half action to take a full action, that full action may not be an attack). Special Note: Occasionally, an option or rule allows a character to take an action at a time other than his Initiative Count. In these cases, the character may only take the action specifically prompted — he may not take any other action at the same time. Another Special Note: Many character options and other game effects reduce the time it takes to perform an action. Unless otherwise specified, no action’s required time may be reduced by more than 1 character option or game effect at a time. Step 6: Fluid Initiative Modifiers Some actions modify a character’s Initiative Count, allowing him to act before or after other characters during later rounds. See Initiative below. Step 7: Repeat Steps 5 and 6 The second and subsequent combat rounds operate just like the first, except that the combatants act in revised Initiative order, after applying all fluid initiative modifiers from the previous round. Combat continues until the GC is satisfied that the current conflict is resolved. Initiative At the end of each combat round, each character’s Initiative Count is modified as shown on Table 5.2: Fluid Initiative Modifiers, to a maximum increase of +10 or a maximum decrease of –10 during any single combat round (including the effects of all abilities, feats, and other applicable effects, as well as actions taken during the current round). The single exception to this rule is the Press action. If a character’s Initiative Count ever rises to 50 or more, his first action during the following combat round must be a Press action. If a character’s Initiative Count ever drops to 0 or less, three things happen, in the following order. #The character is sent . #The character becomes . #The character’s Initiative Count increases by 20, or to 1 (whichever is higher). Unless otherwise specified, each fluid initiative modifier may be applied more than once per combat round. A character may not refuse a fluid initiative modifier, even if it forces him to take a Press action or sends him . Movement Attacks **A